Crack cocaine, how long?
URINE TESTING FOR COCAINE: Metabolite Detectable Longer Than Expected In Some Cases “How long will it take for crack (or cocaine) to clear out of my urine?” is a question received many times a day by the staff of the Drug & Poison Information Center. It is not a straightforward question. First, cocaine itself is metabolized too rapidly to be measured for routine screening. When urine is being screened for the presence of cocaine, it is actually benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, that is being measured. Second, as to how long it will take for this metabolite to be eliminated from the urine, in some cases the answer may be longer than traditionally thought. Several studies suggest that benzoylecgonine can be detected in the urine of chronic, highdose abusers for longer periods of time than originally expected. Urine screens currently required by many employers use the minimum cutoff levels set by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to establish a positive drug test. A urin
